'Carlos Boyce didn't deserve to die': Pal smashed with vodka bottle and left to die speaks out

Jun 22, 2023

Lee Hogg and Terry Dalton have been caged for life after beating 'doting' dad Carlos Boyce to death

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Carlos Boyce's pal who was 'smashed' with a vodka bottle and left to die by two drug-fuelled murderers has spoken.

Joe Spencer has told how he ‘constantly relives that night in his head’ and the ‘scars on his face are a permanent reminder of what happened’. "Carlos did not deserve to die," the grievous bodily harm victim told Teesside Crown Court.

"My life will never be the same again. I’m just pleased that we finally have justice for Carlos."

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Lee Hogg, 38, and Terry Dalton, 53, were convicted of murdering the 'doting’ 36-year-old dad on Thursday following a crown court trial. The drug-dealing duo were found guilty of stamping, punching and kicking the Middlesbrough dad to death.

The murderers were handed life sentences at Teesside Crown Court on Friday. The pair launched a vicious attack on Mr Boyce and left him dying on the floor of Mr Spencer's hallway.

They smashed a full vodka bottle over Mr Spencer's head and fled the flat on Homerton Road, Pallister Park , in the early hours of November 11, last year.

Six months on from the brutal murder, the pair have now been caged. A victim impact statement from Mr Spencer was read out to the court before the pair received their jail terms.

The 37-year-old said: "I live with the trauma of what happened to Carlos and me everyday. I lost a really good friend that night. Carlos did not deserve to die.

"Not only did I lose my friend but I lost my home. I had my own place which I worked so hard to get.

"I really loved living there and had a lot of support around me. I’m back to the beginning after building myself up from 16 months in shared accommodation.

"After what happened I was admitted to a mental health hospital. I struggled to deal with losing Carlos, he's still on my mind all the time.

"I constantly relive that night in my head. I've been left with crippling social anxiety and forever worry about my safety.

"This has had a direct impact on my confidence and how I interact with other people. The scars on my face are a permanent reminder of what happened that night.

"My life will never be the same again. I’m just pleased that we finally have justice for Carlos."

Addressing the defendants, Judge Howard Crowson said: "You both have been convicted of the murder of Carlos Boyce and causing grievous bodily harm to Joe Spencer with intent."

Mr Spencer gave evidence during the trial and told the jury that Hogg and Dalton beat his friend Carlos Boyce to death, pinned him to the floor and repeatedly smashed him over the head with a full bottle of vodka.

He said that he was in and out of consciousness, as Lee Hogg and Terry Dalton "gave me a hell of a beating". "I was getting smashed all over me face," he told the Middlesbrough court.

"Stamped on my face. I was laying flat and Terry had his knees on my shoulder. Lee was in me face shouting 'I’ll bite your nose off'.

"He was getting the bottle of vodka and he was smashing me in the face with it. They were smashing me and smashing me and smashing me."

Carlos Boyce was found dead in Mr Spencer's hallway on the morning of November 11 last year. He had 96 injuries on his body. A home office pathologist found he had died from kicks and stamps to his head and neck, which left him brain damaged.

Mr Spencer told the court that they had ordered cocaine in the early hours of that morning, whilst they were together in Mr Spencer's flat on Homerton Road in Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough.

Mr Spencer added that he and Carlos were "were very good friends". He said: "Me and Carlos were victims in this.

"We done nothing wrong. They come to my flat to drop something off for which we had money.

"They left me for dead and killed my mate for nothing. For nothing."

Judge Crowson said on the morning of November 11 last year Hogg, of Lindisfarne Road, Ormesby , and Terry Dalton, of Ellerbeck Way, Ormesby drove to Joe Spencer's home. He said he is sure their purpose was to supply cocaine.

Judge Crowson said when Mr Spencer resisted their efforts to control him in his home the pair launched a "persistent beating".

Judge Crowson sentenced Hogg to life imprisonment for the murder of Carlos Boyce. He said his case will not be entitled for consideration by the parole board for 20 years.

Hogg was handed a six year prison sentence to be served concurrently for the attack on Mr Spencer.

Dalton was also handed life imprisonment for the murder of Mr Boyce and was told his case will not be considered by the parole board for 19 years.

He was handed a five year prison sentence for the attack on Mr Spencer which will be served concurrently. The pair are led down to the cells.